Mirza Tahir Hussain

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Mirza Tahir Hussian (born 1 June 1970) is a British man released on 17 November 2006 after spending 18 years on death row in Pakistan for the murder of a taxicab driver named Jamshed Khan in 1988, a crime which he says he committed in self-defence, as Khan pulled out a gun and tried to sexually assault him. In the ensuing struggle, the gun went off, fatally injuring Khan. Mirza was held in the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi. His representative is Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West.

1 Conviction
2 Quotes
3 Sources
- 3.1 BBC News
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Conviction

His conviction was quashed by the Pakistani Supreme Court, but he was then found guilty by The Federal Sharia Court. He was due to be hanged on 1st June 2006, but this was delayed supposedly due to clashes with a scheduled visit to the country from Prince Charles. A new date of 3 August 2006 was delayed until 1 September 2006, reportedly to give Mr Hussain's family time to negotiate blood money with the relatives of the victim - a practice under Islamic law. The execution was again delayed, and set for 1 October 2006 at 0500 BST. However, the execution was again delayed, reportedly because it is the holy month of Ramadan.

In spite of a clemency plea by Prince Charles, Mirza was initially given only a two month stay of execution with the new date for execution set for 31 December 2006. However, intervention by Pervez Musharraf, the President of Pakistan resulted in commutation to a life sentence. [1] Under Pakistani law, this equated to a 14 year term. Since Mirza had already served 18 years, he was released.

On 17 November President Musharraf announced that Mirza had been released. He has since returned to the United Kingdom.[2] The mother of his victim had previously threatened to set herself on fire if he did not hang. It remains to be seen if she will carry this out.[3]

[edit] Quotes

[edit] Mirza Hussain

"Please Mr Blair, take me home - I have suffered enough. My life is to be terminated. I miss my mum, my brother, my nephews, my elders, teachers, family and friends"
"I appeal to the conscience and good humanity of President Musharraf to pardon or commute my death sentence. I also call upon Tony Blair to use the relationship Britain has with Pakistan to bring me home."

[edit] Zarvari Bibi

(the dead man’s mother)

"I visit the graveyard every day and spend the whole day sitting near [my son’s] grave and return in the evening. God has done justice and it should be pursued and they should also provide justice. I demand it from them. They should do what is right and what is the will of God. The case has been decided by all sides and that decision should be implemented."

[edit] Family & friends

"The President can pardon my brother if he chooses. He is empowered by the Pakistan constitution - it is nothing to do with dictatorship" - Amjad Hussain (brother)
"repugnant, medieval and barbaric" - Amjad Hussain
"This is psychological torture, it's die another day...we've been going through this for the last 18 years and the effect on the family is devastating" - Amjad Hussain
"Why would somebody go all the way from the UK just to murder a taxi driver?" - Amjad Hussain
"At last these 18 years of nightmare appear to be coming to an end." Amjad Hussain.

[edit] Politicians

"I am not a dictator. I cannot violate a court judgement, whether you like the court or not" - Pervez Musharraf
"This is a complex and sensitive case. President Musharraf made it very clear to me that he did not want my constituent to hang, that he had closely examined the case, and that he had asked his staff to find a way out" - Edward McMillan-Scott, MEP for Yorkshire and Humber
"travesty of justice" - Greg Mulholland, Leeds MP

[edit] Human rights groups

"There are serious doubts about the safety of Mirza Tahir Hussain's conviction and he still faces execution in a matter of weeks" - Tim Hancock, Amnesty International
"Sentenced to death on the basis of fabricated evidence and double jeopardy, his execution would be an appalling travesty of justice" - Catherine Wolthuizen, Fair Trials Abroad